Makai Priest
Makai Priests (魔戒法師, Makai Hōshi) are practitioners of magic and serve as assistants for the Makai Knights in their unending war against Horrors. Description & Characteristics Makai Priests (or priestesses) are based on the fantastic mythical aspects of Taoist Priests, a Daoshi. The priests are trained to utilize a combination of mysticism, magic, elemental manipulation, martial arts, alchemy, necromancy, healing, blacksmithing, and summoning techniques to help them battle against the forces of darkness. They were the original defenders against Horrors long before the creation of the Makai Knights. However, the priests have evolved into support roles for the knights in modern times. The priests created anti-Horror devices, spells, enchantments, and weapons to support the Makai Knights. In addition, they possess a vast knowledge of spells, healing, and purification techniques. They have seals/talisman scrolls for spells, a brush to cast magic, madougu's (magical tools), and have prefabricated devices used to defend or attack. In humanity's darkest moments, it was the Makai Priests that stood as the light against the Horrors. However, despite all their abilities, they were only strong enough to destroy weak Horrors and slowed their advancements. Ultimately, they resolved the problem by creating the Makai Knights corps and their campaign became a success; since the deployment of the Makai Knights, the priests served as a supportive role to the knights. As the back-up, the priests provided madogus, like Zaruba and Silva, to advise and detect Horrors for the knights. They also designed spiritual sensors that detect dark energies to help warn and prepare both the knights and the order of impending danger(s). When a knight has complications in defeating a Horror, it is often a priest that provides a solution to help defeat the Horror(s). Most recently, the priests have the Gōryū in their possession. With the new addition to their arsenal, the priests now have the ability to take an offensive role against the Horrors. Development & Training Makai Priests starts from childhood. When children are born into the makai world, the boys have a choice of either becoming a priest or a Makai Knight. However, since girls are banned from joining knighthood, they only have the choice of becoming a priestess. The complete picture of how priests are trained has never been clearly defined. However, once the child chooses the path of priesthood they are trained in magical arts and later specialize into specific roles. Just like Makai Knights, priests have their own version of boot camp. Separated by their sexes, the boys and girls are secretly trained within hidden forests where their world doesn't meet with regular civilians. From there, they have an instructor that will teach them such things as spell casting and defensive magical arts. As the priests are also expected to face Horrors, they are trained in martial arts and taught how to dispose of Horrors. Just like Makai Knights, some priests were taught by schools while others were privately trained by either family and/or a master priest. In either path, once they reach to a certain maturity in their abilities, they are assigned to a veteran priest for specialized training. However, unlike the knights, the life of a priest has many paths after basic training. For priests that wish to enter the front lines, they will have an apprenticeship with a seasoned priest in the offensive and defensive magical arts against Horrors. Practical training, they are exposed to live missions and may die in their apprenticeship if they're not careful. Those who wish to specialize in healing can study makai medicine, where they learn how to cure the infested, the cursed, the magically injured, and heal wounds for the knights. Others who wish to master forging can learn from one of their specialized craftsmen to master magical item creation such as making a knight's armor or magical tool. Because there's an expansive role for priests, they can practice a multitude of unique professions and can specialize in a combination of several fields if they have the talent. Because it was extremely rare that a priest would double as a knight, there are no rules against a male priest training to become a knight. However, it's socially condemned that a woman attempts to do the same. While there are no official rules against a woman training to become a knight, it's not socially acceptable and no woman has ever successfully mastered a Makai Blade to summon an armor. Priesthood For priests that enter the front lines against Horrors, they're assigned with their own territory like Makai Knights. From observation, only Makai Knight are governed by the Watch Dogs. The priests are given a district to patrol and left to their own devices unless given specific orders. While knights operate in solo missions, priests can operate in groups. Because their combat skills are weaker than knights, the priests mainly handle lesser Horrors and the bigger ones left for the knights to handle. Should a knight and priest agree, they enter a long-term partnership and aid each other in their missions. Occasionally, that leads to romantic relations. Because the makai world is secret, most priests often marry within their society. It's common for knights to find a priestess bride or priests finding love with each other. However, while it's not forbidden not to have relationships with normal people, it's socially not accepted due to its inherent complications. Those who are exposed to the makai realm are expected to maintain their secrecy or may risk having their memories erased. However, rule breakers may face death. Priests who either break their secrecy or do things not allowed by the order are subjected to judgment by the Watch Dogs. Aside from potential prosecution that can lead to a death sentence, the watchdogs can also banish priests from ever practicing magic. For those who wish to walk away or retire from the priesthood, they must give up practicing magic and swear to secrecy. Such former priests, like Anna, learn to integrate themselves into normal society and lead ordinary lives. Those who break their vows are also subject to punishment by the Watch Dogs. Darkness Hunter A sub-group of priests and part of Makai Order's Shadowfolk community, they are highly trained in martial arts and the Makai Order's internal affairs unit. They use the Soul Insertion Technique to validate the purity of your soul. If the person is proven corrupted, they are authorized to kill the person and purify their darkness to prevent further corruption. Known Makai Priests Original Universe Ryūga-verse Notes & Trivia *In Anime Series, Makai Priests are replaced by Makai Alchemist, whose abilities loosely based on Alchemy and western magic. Articles & References TBA External Links TBA Category:Terminology Category:Makai Order